“In advance of today’s CPI and Real Earnings releases, BLS inadvertently loaded a subset of files to the website approximately 30 minutes prior to the release,” the statement read.
Despite the early release, there was minimal unusual activity in the half-hour before 8:30 a.m., suggesting that the premature dissemination was not widely noticed and did not significantly impact trading.
Although there were no immediate signs that the early publication moved markets, the episode is likely to prompt a review of the data dissemination process, given its implications for global asset prices and Federal Reserve policy. Notably, stock market futures only rallied following the official 8:30 a.m. release.
Investigation underway
Authorities are expected to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident. Thirty minutes is a significant timeframe in financial markets, and there are concerns that such leaks could be exploited by investors in the future.
The CPI’s role in providing insights into inflation trends, cost of living adjustments, and purchasing power makes the timely and accurate release of this data critical for traders, analysts, and policymakers.
